MEMB 123

MECHANICS 1: STATICS
SEM 2 2013/2014

Lecture 15
Chapter 5
Equilibrium of a rigid body
DR.GRACE PUA
OFFICE: BN-3-012
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, UNITEN

Chapter Outline:
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7

Conditions for rigid body equilibrium

Equilibrium in two dimensions
Free body diagrams
Equations of equilibrium
Two- and three-force members
Equilibrium in three dimensions
Free body diagrams
Equations of equilibrium
Constraints for a rigid body

Chapter Objectives
To develop the equations of equilibrium for a rigid
body
To introduce the concept of the free-body diagram
for a rigid body
To show how to solve rigid-body equilibrium
problems using the equations of equilibrium

A steel beam is used to

support roof joists. How
can we determine the
support reactions at A & B?

Again, how can we make use of an idealized

model and a free body diagram to answer this
question?

 Statics deals primarily with the description of the force

conditions necessary and sufficient to MAINTAIN the
equilibrium of engineering structure.
When a body is in equilibrium, the resultant of all forces
acting on it is ZERO. Thus, the resultant force R and the
resultant couple, M is ZERO.
Equilibrium Equations:

5.1 Conditions for Rigid-Body Equilibrium

In contrast to the forces on a particle, the
forces on a rigid-body are not usually
concurrent and may cause rotation of the
body (due to the moments created by the
forces).
Forces on a particle

For a rigid body to be in equilibrium, the

net force as well as the net moment
about any arbitrary point O must be
equal to zero.
F = 0 and MO = 0
Forces on a rigid body

where O is an arbitrary point

 The equilibrium of a body is expressed as

FR F 0

M R O M O 0
Consider summing moments about some other
point, such as point A, we require

r FR M R O 0

 When applying the Equation of Equilibrium, we

can assume that the body will remain rigid and
not deform under the applied load.
Most engineering materials such as steel and
concrete are very rigid and so their deformation
is usually very small.

5.2 Free Body Diagrams (2D)

Forces
All the following FORCES need to be included:
1. External forces: Loads applied to the structure
by the environment (e.g. weight, service loads,
etc.)
2. Forces in structural members and connections
that are generated by straining of material.
3. **Reactions: Forces that support the structure
as a whole.
(Actually, reactions are also internal forces)

5.2 Free Body Diagrams (2D)

Support Reactions

If a support prevents the translation of a body in a given

direction, then a force is developed on the body in that
direction.
If rotation is prevented, a couple moment is exerted on the
body.

Support reactions
Example 01:

Beam is supported by a ROLLER or

CYLINDER.
This support prevents the beam from
translating in the vertical direction, the
roller can only exert a force on the
beam in this direction.

Example 02:

Beam is supported by a FIXED

SUPPORT.

This support will prevent both

translation and rotation of the beam,
and so to do this a force and couple
moment must be developed on the
beam at its point of connection.

Refer to Text book

Table 5-1 Supports for rigid bodies subjected to
two dimensional force systems.

Example of support reactions:

External and Internal Forces

Internal Forces

Since a rigid body is a composition of particles, both

External and Internal loadings may act on it.
However, that if the free body diagram for the body is
drawn, the forces that are internal to the body are NOT
represented on the FBD.
For FBD, internal forces act between particles which are
contained within the boundary of the FBD, are not
represented
Particles outside this boundary exert external forces on the
system, and these alone must be shown on the FBD.

Weight and Center of Gravity

Each particle has a specified weight when a body is

subjected to a gravitational field.
System can be represented by a single resultant force,
known as weight W of the body
Location of the force application is known as the center of
gravity (Chapter 9).
If the weight of the body is important, the force will then
be reported in problem statement
When the body is uniform or made of homogenous
material, the center of gravity will be located at the bodys
geometric center.
If the body is non-homogeneous or unusual shape, the
location of center of gravity will be given.

Free Body Diagram (2D)

No equilibrium problem should be solved
without FIRST drawing the free body
diagram, so as to account for all the
forces and couple moments that act on
the body

Procedure for drawing a FBD

1. Draw Outlined Shape
Imagine body to be isolated or cut free from its constraints
Draw outline shape

2. Show All Forces and Couple Moments

Identify all external forces and couple moments that act on
the body
Show all the external forces and couple moments. These
typically include: a) applied loads, b) support reactions
(Table 5-1), and, c) the weight of the body.

Procedure for drawing a FBD

3. Identify Each Loading and Give Dimensions
Indicate dimensions for calculation of forces
Known forces and couple moments should be properly
labeled with their magnitudes and directions
For the unknown forces and couple moments, use letters
like Ax, Ay, MA, etc.. Establish an x,y coordinate system so
that these unknowns can be identified. Indicate any
necessary dimensions.

Example 03
Draw the free-body diagram of the uniform beam. The beam
has a mass of 100kg.

Solution:
1. Sketch the body outlined shape.
2. CHECK your Table 5-1, identify all the reaction acting
on the beam at A.
- The support at A is a fixed wall, thus there are ??
reactions acting on beam at A.
3. Identify each loading and given dimensions/forces.

Solution
Free-Body Diagram

Solution
Support at A is a fixed wall
Three forces acting on the beam at A denoted as Ax,
Ay, MA, drawn in an arbitrary direction
Unknown magnitudes of these vectors
Assume sense of these vectors
For uniform beam,
Weight, W = 100(9.81) = 981N
acting through beams center of gravity, 3m from A

Example

SUPPORT REACTIONS IN 2-D

A few examples are shown above. Other support reactions are

given in your textbook (in Table 5-1).

As a general rule, if a support prevents translation of a body in a

given direction, then a force is developed on the body in the
opposite direction. Similarly, if rotation is prevented, a couple
moment is exerted on the body.

Try this:

Try this:

Solution

5.3 Equations of Equilibrium

For equilibrium of a rigid body in 2D,
Fx = 0;
Fy = 0;
MO = 0
Fx and Fy represent sums of x and y components of all the
forces
MO represents the sum of the couple moments and
moments of the force components

Procedure for Analysis

Step 1: Free-Body Diagram
Label all the loadings and specify their directions relative to the
x,y axes.

Force or couple moment having an unknown magnitude but known

line of action can be assumed
Indicate the dimensions of the body necessary for computing the
moments of forces

Step 2: Equations of Equilibrium

Apply MO = 0 about a point O
Unknowns moments of are zero about O and a direct solution the
third unknown can be obtained
When applying Fx = 0 and Fy = 0, orient the x and y axes along
the lines that will provide the simplest resolution of the forces into
their x and y components
If the solution of the equilibrium equations yields a negative scalar
for a force or couple moment magnitude, this indicates that the
sense is OPPOSITE to that which was assumed on the free body
diagram.

Example 04
Determine the horizontal and vertical components of reaction for the
beam loaded. Neglect the weight of the beam in the calculations.

Solution
Free Body Diagrams
600N represented by x and y components
200N force acts on the beam at B

Solution
Equations of Equilibrium
M B 0;

600 cos 45 N Bx 0 Bx 424 N

M B 0;
100 N (2m) (600 sin 45 N )(5m) (600 cos 45 N )(0.2m) Ay (7m) 0
Ay 319 N
Fy 0;
319 N 600 sin 45 N 100 N 200 N B y 0
B y 405 N

Thank you for your attentions!